5 Tips for Startup Success
When you launch your startup, it's important to lay the necessary groundwork for your future success. That means taking the time to do a little research, planning and self-reflection. Here are some tips you might consider:
Follow your passion. Earl Nightingale once said, "The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment. Whatever you chose to do, you should be passionate about it. Sometimes it takes a leap of faith, but you need to trust that your deepest-held desire is simply an echo of future success.
Create a business plan. You've heard the old maxim, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Perhaps you've spent hours dreaming about your business, imagining your achievements, and talking with friends and family about your goals, but without a business plan you haven't given yourself the opportunity to truly plan all the necessary details and build a foundation for your success.
Find a mentor. A mentor is a trusted,adviser,someone with expertise in an area you're interested in. So a small business mentor is someone who has enjoyed small business success and is willing to advise you as you start your own small business. If you develop a good relationship with a mentor, he or she can work as a great sounding board, asking you the questions you need to consider, and point you in the direction you need to go, all the while boosting your morale.
Begin marketing. As with a business plan, if you don't have a marketing plan, chances are you won't get many customers, and if you don't get many customers, your business will fail. Even if you're marketing on a shoestring budget, you need to know what marketing strategies you will use so that you can begin using them as soon as possible! A marketing plan should define or address the following:
Target market
Marketing objectives
Market analysis
Marketing strategies
Budget
Evaluate your finances. An accountant can help your launch your startup on the right financial foot. In fact, your accountant could probably help you with aspects of both your business and marketing plans. A simple consultation could also determine whether or not you will need a small business loan, and if you do, that same accountant could help you complete the application required.
It's important that you follow your dreams, but don't do so blindly! Enlist the help of an accountant to evaluate your finances and determine what's required to launch your startup. Call us for a free consultation today!